eBay

canuckchat · ‎11-23-2006

If you reside in Canada - and purchase an item from the USA - you need to educate yourself as to the fact that you WILL be paying applicable taxes and possibly duties on the item when it crosses the border into Canada.

Yes, if the item is shipped by postal service, your "brokerage handling fee" will be a nominal $5 or $8 - plus the applicable taxes for your province (and possibly duties, but seldom are they charged.)

And yes, MANY times the items shipped by postal service are NOT charged taxes or duties incoming - so sometimes you will escape paying the taxes that are due to the Canadian and provincial governments.

However, you should ALWAYS - and I stress ALWAYS! - calculate the cost of the taxes and possibly duties into the decision to make a purchase internationally.

Additionally, if your item is sent by the USA seller (or other international seller) through a courier service (for example, UPS, FEDEX, DHL, etc.) then your applicable brokerage fee will be upwards of $25, on a sliding scale dependent upon the value of the incoming item.

Yes, these fees (brokerage, tax, duty) are ALL part of the cost of buying an item internationally and having it shipped to you in Canada.

It is NOT up to the seller to pay these for you - YOU are the importer of record - YOU are the one who will be billed for these charges - YOU are the one who will NOT get your parcel until you pay these charges.

So - before hitting the "BID NOW" button, do a bit of calculating and make an informed decision to see if it is really worth getting that imported widget!

Happy Bidding, Folks!
:-D

femmefan1946 · ‎01-06-2016

He claims he no longer sells in BC, because the bureaucracy is more than he can handle without exploding (even though his wife Bingie does most of that) and he thinks the markups are stupid high.

But you can do a 'tasting tour' of the distillery , purchase a few bottles, and meet their chickens. Phoning ahead is useful.

marnotom! · ‎01-06-2016

@femmefan1946 wrote:

He claims he no longer sells in BC, because the bureaucracy is more than he can handle without exploding (even though his wife Bingie does most of that) and he thinks the markups are stupid high.

But you can do a 'tasting tour' of the distillery , purchase a few bottles, and meet their chickens. Phoning ahead is useful.

I also see a list of a handful of privately-run liquor stores on Vancouver Island and in the Vancouver area that purportedly sell his wares, but perhaps the website needs an update.

pusabumcanuck · ‎10-20-2016

Not true. I live in a border city with a customs office and, from experience, If an item is mailed USPS then the item has no duty or taxes applied unless the item ordered is over a minimum of $200 Can while some customs officers will let up to $300 slide. If there is high duty or tax to be paid then Canada Post will inform you of such and you must pay it otherwise CP will cover a certain amount to paid on delivery.

i.am.vivian · ‎10-20-2016

@pusabumcanuck wrote:
I live in a border city with a customs office and, from experience, If an item is mailed USPS then the item has no duty or taxes applied unless the item ordered is over a minimum of $200 Can while some customs officers will let up to $300 slide. If there is high duty or tax to be paid then Canada Post will inform you of such and you must pay it otherwise CP will cover a certain amount to paid on delivery.

Canada Post is paying our import charges for us? That's a new one on me. What I HAVE heard is that any amount over $20 is subject to charges and that sometimes items under $100 are overlooked but sometimes not. Officially the facts of the matter can be found here

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/courier/menu-eng.html

Copied directly from that page it says:

Value in Canadian dollars

Under the provisions of the Postal Imports Remission Order, if someone mails you an item worth CAN$20 or less, there is no duty or tax payable. If the item is worth more than CAN$20, you must pay the applicable duty, the GST or HST, and any PST on the item's full value.

I think it might be a bad idea to suggest to others that they can order up to $300 from outside the country and not worry about Canada's government-imposed import charges. I think it is better to know the facts and be prepared just in case.

rblee7 · ‎02-04-2017

There is a way to avoid the brokerage fee. Contact the federal government directly, and offer to pay all the taxes directly to the government. Once you pay it, then the feds will give you a piece of paper saying the taxes have been paid. Take the piece of paper to UPS and demand that they release the item to you. The courier will resist, but they are legally obligated to release the item to you. That way, at least you do not have to pay the brokerage fee, which can cost $25 or more...

sylvaibisso-2 · ‎07-06-2017

Thanks for the heads up, even if it's too late for me! Got called by FedEx today to pay an additional 145$ ! It's for a Samsung Galaxy S8+ which was 888$. Even with the taxes it's still cheaper than a new one un Canada...

reallynicestamps · ‎07-07-2017

ZOMBIE THREAD

From 2006.

Zombie threads tend to have out of date and inaccurate information.

If you have a similar question start your own thread to get better advice.

tyler@ebay · ‎10-12-2017

Hey everyone,

Due to the length of time that has passed since this thread began I have locked it from future replies. If this is still an issue that warrants discussion, don't hesitate to begin a new thread!

Tyler,